Inconsolable
by Katniss4eva
Summary: Galeniss fic. Gale is keeping a secret from Katniss and Katniss is keeping a secret from Gale - both of which could change their lives.
1. You Have Some Explaining To Do, Everdeen

My stomach lurches. I try to keep myself calm. If I could just get past this one meal without-

Gale follows me up the stairs, and I know even he's fighting to catch up with me. "Catnip…"

"Gale, I'm sorry!"

He wraps his arms around me. "Why are you sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Because I know it's agonizing for you. I wake up and drag you along with me."

"Don't think like that, Catnip. All I was going to say is that we should take you to a doctor."

"I'm fine." Maybe I can try wave it off. Then I won't have to go, will I?

"Katniss, you are exactly the opposite of fine."

I put my head down. He lifts it up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. I start to make those awful choking sounds I make when I'm crying; shaking uncontrollably. I am inconsolable. He brings me into the warmth of his shirt and I stay there, crying like a child in his arms. Gale's arms rub my back and then he eventually goes to wipe up the sink. By then I'm cried out, so I go downstairs to make breakfast. "Catnip, wait!" I turn round to see Gale… holding something? "You have some explaining to do, Everdeen."

And I swear my heart skips a beat. Because I do know what he's holding. And because Gale is right. I do have some explaining to do. And a lot of it at that. "I… um, well…" I can't find it in me to just confess.

Gale's eyes are sharp and angry and then it just slips out, by instinct: "Please don't hurt me."

"Katniss!"

I don't dare look up. "Fine!" I get ready, but I can't tell him. It just won't… come out. It's two words, Katniss. Two words. Say them. My whole body shakes. It's just so… hard. It's one thing if he comes out happy and excited, but another if he's annoyed and mad with me. "Whatever it is, Catnip, it's okay." Gale whispers, his arms closing around me. "I won't be mad, I promise."

"You can't promise that." I snivel into his shirt.

He pulls me away. "Katniss, please. You have to tell me. You've been sick all week."

My gaze returns to the floor. Just do it, Katniss. Get it over with. "We're having a baby."


	2. Your Mom's Here

Gale doesn't appear to be angry - or happy, for that matter. I bite my lip, trying to stop it from trembling. A rough hand pushes back the loose hair that has freed itself from my braid and Gale's lips kiss my forehead.

"Do you know the gender yet?" he asks. I shake my head in reply, the tears starting to form.

"Hey. Shh, it's okay. It's okay."

"I know…"

"Gale, could you get my dressing gown from upstairs? I'm really cold." My teeth chatter. I have to rub my arms, and not even that makes me warmer. Gale fetches the gown and helps me put it on, even though I don't really need the help. "How's that?" he asks.

"S-still c-c-cold."

Gale frowns. "Well, the fire's on, we're in the warmest room in the house, and you're wearing your dressing gown and warmest pair of pyjamas." He places the back of his hand on my forehead, then releases it quickly. Gale curses. "You're scorching, Katniss!"

"I am? But I'm f-freezing."

"Go back to bed, Catnip. That's one hell of a fever you got there."

I do as he says, trailing under the covers in search for some warmth.

_around an hour later_

Gale shakes me awake and then says quietly: "Your mom's here."

And I swear my heart skips a beat. "Really?!" I jump up and get ready to pull open the door when Gale says: "You might want to change."

"Oh, yeah."

I take a hot shower which quickly turns into a bath, and I sink myself under the blanket of steaming hot water. The soap I just used smells of flowers - primroses and rue flowers. It smells so heavenly. I've probably been in here ages, judging by the state of my fingers; shrivelled up and looking like prunes. I dip under the water so that just my nose surfaces, giving my hair a good soak. I reluctantly pull out the bath plug. Guess I'd better get out, seeing as my mother's waiting downstairs. I wrap a towel around myself and I sniff. Primroses. Fresh flowers. I'm not really too sure why Gale chose primrose soap. Didn't even know it existed. Then it clicks. The different soaps Gale has been bringing. First strawberry, candy, honey, cinnamon, nettle leaves and now primroses. He's bringing things I like. Madge's strawberries. The candy from the Capitol. The honey that Gale and I used to collect from abandoned bee nests. Cinnamon from Peeta's bakery. Nettle leaves, the ones that make the woods smell the way that it does. Primroses and rue flowers. After Prim and Rue.

"Did you like that one?"

I scowl at him. "Not good enough."

"Catnip, come on-"

"Do they happen to have soap that smells like you?" I turn round a little. "Does this look okay on me?"

"It looks amazing on you."

I feel my cheeks heating up. "Gale!"

**AN: Howzis? Some reviews maybe :3 I SHALL GIVE YOU SOME OF DELLY'S SOAP! PLACE YOUR ORDERS HERE!**


	3. Soap

I stand at the door, my whole body trembling. I don't know why I'm so… scared. Better to just get this over with. I open the door. My mother sets down a cup and turns round to face me. I am still lingering in the doorway because I simply don't know what to do. In all honesty, I thought she would leave again. But she's here. My body is numb and I choke back tears. I would run up to her, really, I would. But can I trust her? "Mother." I whisper, truly on the brink of tears now. There have only been a few times I have cried in front of my mother. Once when I came back after hunting with Gale and I twisted my ankle, and a few other times after nightmares about the mine explosion. Not once did I weep with her about my father's death. That was Gale whom I cried to. Once after our fathers' deaths and the other time after the same incident with my ankle.

I don't know how she knows. I know my breathing gets quite raspy when I cry; doesn't everyone's? But my mother doesn't interfere. It's as if she knows- I scramble out of her grasp and stare in horror, eyes wide. I feel sick to my stomach. I want to walk off. I want to just go somewhere to hide. But I can't. Because Gale is on the other side of this door.

"Katniss, I won't leave again. I'm here for you. And the baby."

"I don't need your help! I can do this on my own!"

Even Gale doesn't object when I storm out the door and off to Peeta's house.

Apparently my stomach does not agree with me because I have to borrow their kitchen sink. "Are you alright?" Delly asks.

"I suppose this is my punishment for walking out on Gale and my mother." I laugh. Delly eyes me up, taking up every inch of me. I'm starting to get a little self-conscious when she says: "You must be hungry. Want anything?"

"I'm okay." I say, even though I'm absolutely starving.

"You liar. Everyone knows you have a large appetite when you're pregnant."

"And how would you know?"

Delly shuffles from foot to foot… and then I realise. "How many months?"

"Two and a half." she says. "Peeta's in the living room. He's watching some sort of boat race."

It's obvious that there's something in the living room Delly wants me to see. Peeta doesn't watch _boats_. I walk in anyway and there is a large banner flashing on the television.

** ALL CAPITOL PRISONERS RELEASED.**

**AN: So? (o.o) :))))) I'm happy to accept tips on my writing, you guys (and ideas would be good too). Thanks everyone!**


	4. Leaving Me

_And I swear my heart skips a beat_. I only have time to say his name before I'm out the door and banging down my own.

I linger in the doorway, watching as my mother takes down Prim's picture from the mantel place and stares at it. It takes me a few minutes to take in exactly what she's doing, and then I start to panic.

She's leaving again. Angry tears slide down my cheeks. "You said you wouldn't leave! I thought you were going to be here for me!"

My mother turns round to face me, looking as if I am being completely absurd. Then she turns back to the picture. "Katniss," she says without turning to face me, "I will be there for you" she puts the picture back where it belongs "and I am not leaving you." My body shakes and I feel the cold all over me, even though it's the middle of summer. I'm struggling to keep my breathing normal when hands reach over my stomach. "There's someone at the door for you, Catnip."

I'm about to complain when I remember the news headline at Peeta's house.** ALL CAPITOL PRISONERS RELEASED.** "Cinna…" I whisper, suddenly feeling quite woozy. I know quite well that he's my stylist and I've been okay with him seeing me naked, but even so I feel self-conscious with the way he's taking me in. I'm not sure if it's because of everything that's happened and that it's taking its toll on me, but I break down.

All three of them are around me, trying to comfort me - Cinna, my mother and Gale. In the end Gale says: "Do you want to lie down?"

I nod.

"Come on then." Gale smiles, getting up and reaching his hand out.

"Carry me." I murmur, resting my head on his shoulder and falling asleep in his arms.

I wake up suddenly. The room is dark and I can't quite place what it is that has woken me. Gale is cocooned beside me, lost in his dream. He lets out a small laugh. He doesn't ever laugh in his sleep, unless his dreams are good… I sit up instantly. The sound of thunder lashes out from behind the curtain.

And I swear my heart skips a beat. I swallow thickly as another flash of lighting brightens the room and then quickly fades again. I am terrified of thunder. This is a fact. The only two people that know this fact are Prim and my mother. If I weren't so preoccupied during the Games, I might've got scared. But there was Peeta to look after, and during the first Games… Cinna. I need Cinna.

I turn around to the sound of screaming. Gale is slowly waking up. His eyes go wide when he sees me. "Shh, Catnip…"

I tremble, suddenly quite afraid. Gale takes my shaking body up to his, running his fingers through my hair, a method he has used many times to comfort me. I know sleep is vital, especially because of the baby.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

Gale's hands rub my back soothingly, looking rather distant. He must have noticed I'm singing the song. Of course. He still blames himself for Prim's death. The main cause of his nightmares. Obviously, he doesn't have them as often - he's not as broken as I am - but a couple times a month is too many.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

A wave of sleep washes over me, and the final lines are barely audible.

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

The thunder strikes, and I scramble under the covers. My throat is sore from crying. In a few seconds, Prim will start to wail from her crib. Soon enough, she does; her scared and frightened cries filling the room. I put my hands over my ears, wishing to just get away from all this. "Katniss, come and give Daddy a hug." My father appears in the doorway, and I run up to him. He picks me up and carries me into the living room, where the fire is blazing happily. My mother is handing Prim a bottle of milk and she sucks on it for a while.

"Katiss!"

I laugh and play with her hair for a while until my father puts me on his lap. He unties my braid and I rest my head on his shoulder, him singing all the while.

"Christian, are you coming to sit with me and Katniss?"

Christian perks up from the corner of the room and comes next to me on my father's lap. I hold his hand, which is still shaking, and we fall asleep, bounded together by blood. My brother, forever.

_And I swear my heart skips a beat_. Gale frowns at my state - sweaty; a tear-stained face. "Was it a nightmare?" he asks gently.

I shake my head and excuse myself, knocking on my mother's bedroom. "Katniss, are you okay?" she asks quietly, taking my hands in hers.

How do I say this? What am I supposed to say?! "What happened to my brother?"

My mother sighs. "Your father wanted a son; said it'd be good for you. A friend. I said yes. We went to the community home, of course. Little blond lad; been there all his life after his mother died giving birth and his father committed suicide. Brought him home to you. You were excited of course; took him out hunting with you and your father. Then I got pregnant with Prim. We said we would never take him back. But when Prim was born, it got really hard. We held it out for that year or so… but we had to, Katniss. You have to understand that. We all would've starved if we hadn't."

"I have to find him." I whisper.

My mother just laughs. "He's not a little boy anymore, Katniss. He's seventeen. Like you."

I know exactly what she's going to say next.

"And… the reaping, Katniss, the bombings. I'm sorry, honey, really I am."

In the end I can't take it anymore. I get up and walk away; take hostage in the bathroom, waiting for the tears to come. But they don't. My stomach aches and I finally feel bile at the back of my throat. I retch for what seems like ages - throughout this neither Gale nor my mother come - and then I can't help it. My body trembles slightly as I walk down the stairs and into Gale's arms. We stay there until he says: "What do you want for breakfast, Catnip?"

I shrug. "Not hungry."

Gale nods. "Okay," he says, gathering my hair and twisting it into a loose ponytail. Another one of his comforting remedies. "Stop doing that." I say after a while, growing rather annoyed.

"Katniss, I know you're worried. Everything will be fine, I promise." he says quietly.

"It won't, though, will it?" I sigh.

"It's going to be hard, them not knowing their daddy, but trust me."

I gulp. "You're not… leaving me…are you?"

**AN: Give fandom/Galeniss shippers a heart attack... NOW! So... how was chapter 4? I know Katniss is acting a little OOC, but she has a reasonable excuse. Maybe.**


	5. This Isn't Gale

I sit in the back garden, clasping the mug close to my chest and watching as the first few tears drip into my mother's herbal tea.

"Catnip," Gale says quietly, "I'm not breaking up with you. I've been sent to the Capitol. To assist with" he gulps "a flood."

"They're nowhere near the sea." I retort, my throat thick with tears.

"That's what I thought too." Gale laughs. Suddenly he turns serious. "I leave in a few days. Cinna will look after you."

"Gale, my ultrasound is in a week!"

The glass of milk Gale was holding falls to the floor and shatters into a million pieces.

"Cinna can go with you." he says, obviously trying to regain his composure. I bend down to pick up the pieces of glass when he gently prises one out of my hands. "I'll do that."

I nod. "O-o-okay."

"Katniss… are you crying?"

"N-no."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not." I whisper, and then I begin to tell him things I didn't even think I knew.

"I had a dream last night."

"And what was it about?" Gale asks, pushing a strand of hair behind my ears.

I shrug.

"I said, what was it about?!"

"Nothing." I mumble.

"Answer me!"

I should've left ages ago. This isn't Gale at all. He slams me against the door.

"Answer me when I talk to you!"

"Yes." I say meekly.

"Yes what?" he snarls.

"Yes Gale."

"Good. Now get inside!"

**AN: It's bad, I know. It's short too, but it was time I updated. **


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